Rant: I Want Breakfast For Dinner!

It's an artificial division, a tyranny of the plate. Many people have been conditioned to follow an unwritten rule about what is proper to eat at different times during the day. The seeds of revolution exist though, and there are rebels who seek to cast down the old rules, and ignore the authorities who try to dictate what we eat. I fully support these rebels and I firmly believe that the time has come to destroy these barriers.

I, and others, desire to enjoy "breakfast" foods all day long. No longer should we be limited by the time of day to enjoy bacon & eggs, a stack of pancakes, or a savory waffle. Why are such foods relegated only to the morning? There's no rational reason why they must be so limited. Throughout history, the type of foods served during breakfast have varied greatly and there's no reason breakfast dishes can't be served at other times. Let us enjoy them in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Let us enjoy them any time during the day we want.

A 2014 Reuters article found that 72% of U.S. adults wished restaurants would offer breakfast items all day. What a huge percentage of people who want to destroy the barrier of what some believe should only be for breakfast. The MarketWatch (July 2020) noted the popularity of breakfast items at chain restaurants such as 25%-30% of sales at McDonald’s, 20% at Jack in the Box, 13-14% at Burger King and 8% at Wendy's. More restaurants need to exploit this desire for breakfast items, and not just in the morning.

Of the independent breakfast spots I know, which usually also serve lunch, they commonly close in the early afternoon and aren't open for dinner. Why not? They serve breakfast for the entire time they are open, in the morning and afternoon. So why not extend it to the evening as well? They don't even have to provide the usual dinner items. Just serve breakfast foods.

A few restaurants seem to understand, adding dishes to their dinner menus which have breakfast items, like the popular Chicken & Waffles dish.  A creative chef could easily concoct all sorts of compelling dishes using traditional breakfast foods. Let's see a dinner Omelette, a sandwich using Pancakes as the bread, or even a Waffle pizza. Stop thinking breakfast foods have to be served only in the morning. Give the people what they want, explore your culinary creativity, and let's see what new dishes you can concoct.

Do you have any favorite restaurants which serve breakfast items for lunch or dinner?